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Spiritual Obesity We have a weight problem in the Church. Not physically but spiritually. Have you ever noticed how preachers try so hard to come up with a fresh word; something no one has heard before or try to put a spin on a subject that we have heard a hundred times? Its because we are preaching to the same people over and over. Jesus said in Lu 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” If you have heard that Jesus is the Messiah then you have heard enough to tell someone else. (Lu 9:26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.) Its time to go outside and get some exercise. (Mt 10:7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.) As a Christian you should be a conduit for the power of God but if there is no flow then we become gluttons. If your cup runneth over (Ps 23:5) then you will never have to worry about how much you give or how much you do. (Lu 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”) Spiritual exercise is the only way you are going to grow. Don’t think that you are just going to wake up one day and be a super christian ready to take on the forces of darkness. It takes time and effort, trial and error, and above all faith to grow spiritually. At some point you will have to step out of the boat. Try starting with your neighbors. Do they think that Jesus lives next door or the devil? Charles W. Aycock Jr.

The Fading Truth Truth seems to be fading off into history. What if your perception of reality was not real at all? Today’s culture is strategically designed to manipulate, distort and ultimately eliminate the need for God. Would you know the truth if you heard it? Even in the church today we have developed an expectation of what Christianity is suppose to look like. The fundamental belief that Jesus is the Son of God is the foundation of our faith but then it seems to take on a shape very similar to the current culture and generation that we live in and each one looks different. We are all products of our environment with almost every concept and decision we make being manipulated by others. I don’t know what the church is suppose to look like but I’m pretty sure its not suppose to look like a Fortune 500 company. (John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.) Our thoughts and decisions should not be weighed on a balance and concluded by deductive reasoning. Our decisions should be weighed by the Word of God and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. He said “He will guide you into all the truth”. Every generation has struggled to define reality, struggling simply because the Kingdom of God defies reason. (John 18:38 Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”) There is no logical explanation for a miracle. That’s what makes it a miracle. (1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;) Faith is the only way to see the truth. Jesus asked the disciples in (Mt 16:15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.“ 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.) Truth comes from our Father in heaven but it takes faith to receive it. Challenging your concept of reality will have a cost. It will definitely take you out of your comfort zone but I would rather find out now than discover one day that I was living a lie. (Joh 8:31 ¶ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”) Charles W. Aycock Jr.